An Introduction to America’s Music

CHAPTER 10 | POPULAR SONG AND DANCE IN THE RAGTIME ERA 251

date: 1914

performers: The Paragon Ragtime

Orchestra; Rick Benjamin, director

genre: orchestral rag

meter: duple

form: ABB'ACDC

timing section comments

0:00 introduction 4 bars. Cymbal crashes on the beat; winds and strings anticipate the A

strain’s melody.

0:03 A 16 bars. Begins piano in minor, then switches to forte in major for the last 5

bars. A woodblock reinforces the syncopations in the soft sections, followed

by cymbals as in the introduction. No repeat of A in this performance.

0:18 B 16 bars. Sousa-like melody in trombone with an animated countermelody in

fl ute, piano with crescendo to forte, ending inconclusively with a half cadence.

0:34 B' As before, but ending with a full cadence. A single, short chord leads back to

the A section.

0:50 A

1:05 transition 4 bars. A syncopated fi gure taken from the end of the B section establishes

the subdominant as the new key.

1:09 trio

C

32 bars. Woodblock highlights the rhythmic gaps of stop-time.

1:40 D 8 bars. Dramatic break strain alternates high- and low-pitched instruments.

1:48 C C returns at a louder dynamic level.

Listen & Refl ect

1. What features of Castle House Rag make it particularly suitable for the dancing style of
   Irene and Vernon Castle?

WHAT TO LISTEN FOR

• energetic dance rhythm with ragtime
  syncopations


• structure similar to a long march, with break
  strain


• use of stop-time in trio

CD 2.4 Listening Guide 10.3 Castle House Rag JAMES REESE EUROPE

172028_10_231-253_r2_mr.indd 251 23/01/13 10:26 AM